Lalim has a rooted history with Lakeview over the past two decades. Outside of his teaching job, he’s coached several of the Lakers’ athletic teams, was a former public address announcer for Southwest Minnesota State University, and has since created and further developed Lakeview’s live streaming, social media presence and gameday presentation.

“It goes fast, it’s hard to believe that it’s been 20 years … I think it’s just fun to create the atmosphere. Make it enjoyable for the community to come to games, but then also [for] the kids to just have a good experience,” Lalim said. “When I came to Lakeview, I just wanted to be involved. I started coaching right away, and then it led to other things … When I stopped coaching, there was an opportunity to [be like], ‘We could do this, we could announce in-game,’ and things like that. Then, it just spiraled like a snowball, just kept adding and adding. Now, we got video boards and digital displays.”

Lalim works to ensure there is a livestream operating for Lakeview athletic home games throughout the year, with digital components included like a scoreboard and on-screen graphics, which he designs. He’s also the voice that fills the court or field, announcing plays and team introductions.

“I enter every game like it’s going to be flawless. I want it to be perfect, whether that’s feasible or not. I always make mistakes. But, the first games of the year, whether it’s volleyball, football, baseball, I get butterflies as if I was performing the game, even though I’ve done it a million times,” Lalim, who also runs the shot clock during basketball games, said. “I always want game 1 to be like game 26 … If there’s something that we’re not doing in game 1, it’s going to drive me nuts, because I know we could be doing better. I just always go into it like, ‘How can I make it be the best that it can be?'”

Photo by Karen Berg: Phil Lalim works to set up the equipment to livestream a Lakeview music concert on Dec. 8 at Lakeview Public Schools in Cottonwood.

Lalim can be found in the press box or at the scorer’s table with a hefty amount of technical equipment and game notes surrounding him. He joked about having a practice of his own each gameday.

“What do we got going on the video board? What does this transition look like? Are all the buttons working right?,” Lalim said regarding his daily prep. “When the game happens, we want everything [to go well]. Like I said, I strive for perfection. So, my dog Diego and I are in the gym, and he’s probably seen that hype video more than anybody.”

Diego, a German shorthaired, will sometimes join Lalim at Lakeview while he’s working on production projects.

Creating the hype videos are one of Lalim’s favorite parts of the gameday presentation. He also films the in-game videoboard entertainment like student-athletes playing This or That, a popular game where people choose their favorite of two specific options, allowing fans to learn more about the athlete’s personality.

Although noting the videos take time between planning, filming and editing, Lalim appreciates seeing how it adds to the game atmosphere and the fun students and fans have with it. He said he will coordinate a “media day” with the athletes during the preseason where he films all the content, and works to edit everything into an appealing finished product.

Lalim’s motivation to his craft is keeping families connected when they aren’t able to attend home games in person. As such, Lalim also helps to stream other events such as concerts at the school.

Continuing to find inspiration from other local schools or professional sports, Lalim said that he often finds himself studying the technical side, digital displays and announcing tactics of sport broadcasts rather than watching the game itself to see how he can keep elevating Lakeview’s production.

Although some updates may not be noticeable to every viewer, Lalim is proud of the little changes he’s able to make on streams or video boards. He cited the rounding of the corners of the scoreboard on the livestream, and the addition of the in-arena videoboard content to the livestream, as tweaks he particularly enjoyed making this year.

What started with just an iPad and a tripod, has since expanded to several cameras and webcams that Lalim has gathered to add even more depth to the fan experience with a broader viewing range.

“This school and our Booster Club have been strong supporters, too. Every idea I’ve had has always been well supported,” Lalim said. “The strong support from the community, I can’t thank them enough. Obviously, without support, we wouldn’t be able to do what we do. It’s just a joy every day and every game.”

When Lalim first got to Lakeview two decades ago, he wanted to immediately get involved with the school community and coached several athletic programs over the years before going behind the scenes. He spent two years as the boys basketball B-Squad coach, another five as the head volleyball coach and three years as a softball coach. He said he truly loves having coached or broadcast each of Lakeview’s teams.

“When I was coaching, if we didn’t win, you’re going home and you’re watching film to [figure out] what we have to do. But [now], I get to go home and watch film and be like, ‘How can I make this [broadcast] better?'” Lalim said.

A Willmar High School graduate, Lalim played baseball, basketball and football growing up and now enjoys golfing.

Lalim has done public addressing around the area, including a stint at SMSU from 2014 to 2020 for the Mustangs’ volleyball and football games. He said his roles at SMSU helped teach him how to script out a game and more gameday presentation techniques that he could pull inspiration from and implement in Cottonwood as well.

Continuing to hold his Laker pride close, Lalim impressively was on a recent 11-year streak of announcing and broadcasting every Lakeview home game of each sport. He had to miss a home baseball game last Spring due to being sick, and remembers the exact date the last time he had to miss a game prior.

“January 20, 2014, was the last game I missed before that … And, that was for my grandma’s 90th birthday party,” Lalim said, laughing. “I just enjoy being around the kids. I hated missing that game. I tried to come to school [that] Friday for a staff meeting, and Scott Hanson, the principal, was like, ‘Go home,’ … Sometimes, someone’s like, ‘What if you’re sick?’ I’m like, ‘I’m not sick. There’s no question.'”

When it comes down to his extreme dedication in wanting to continue providing a memorable game experience, and expanding Lakeview’s digital reach, Lalim emotionally detailed that the community continues to motivate him. He expressed the respect and gratitude he carries to be able to give everything he can to make memories for others.

“I don’t do it necessarily for myself. It’s always for the community. The community has been very supportive of the school district … It’s what we owe it to them, to give the best that we can,” Lalim said. “I wouldn’t trade it for anything … At the end of the day, I just want people going home and being like, ‘That was fun.'”